Thoughts on the universality and valency of ruination. With a comment about the toppling of statues of erstwhile heroes. A couple of months ago Alain Schnapp was talking with me about his new book, a universal history of ruins, an exploration of an archaeological sensibility that takes us back to antiquity [Link]. I have just…
ruins and remains
Dryburgh
Project : So werd ich Todten-Kopff ein Englisch Antlitz seyn – [Link] Marta Pilarska (Edinburgh) has discovered a favorite place of mine – Dryburgh Abbey, Scottish borders, a landscaped ruin. Here are a couple of headstones, mid eighteenth century, converted by Marta into 3D models. The textures are very good, as is being able to…
Heritage – actuality and performative pragmatics
Published next month – Chinese translation of my essay on heritage as actuality, with a case study from the Roman north. [Link] to 2012 version in English.
Ossian – archaeological memory
Project: Borderlands – [Link] Toscar: I shall sit in my cave in the field of the sun. The blast will rustle in my trees, and I shall think it is the voice of Culhona. Culhona: What cloud is that? It carries the ghosts of my fathers. Locale, genius loci, weather, voices on the wind, the…
second hand costume
Sheila Gwilliam amidst her extraordinary collection of vintage costume. I asked her which was her favorite. “Jack and Danny’s” – London Street, Bath UK – [Link]
materiality of the invisible
Yesterday I had the great honor to open a remarkable exhibition of artworks at the Van Eyck Academie in Maastricht – multiform institute for fine art, design and reflection Curators: Lex ter Braak, Director of Van Eyck and Huib Haye van der Werf, Head of Artistic Program. The exhibition runs through The Van Eyck Academie, Marres,…